Whisky Glasses: I review a lot of whisky on here but one important aspect that I never really discuss is just what glass I prefer to do my tasting from and on top of that the importance of the glass itself. To most casual whisky drinkers, the glass is not quite as important as the whisky but this couldn’t be further from the truth. A good glass or goblet is equally important as the whisky you drink. The notion that using a stylish tumbler to drink your whisky (while it does look great and might I add more masculine) is probably the best thing you can do, you are in-turn most likely ruining your overall experience of the whisky in question.
The shape of the glass is very, very important as your sense of smell pretty much accounts for a large percentage of your overall experience of tasting whisky, so I decided to look at a few that I believe every whisky enthusiast should have in their locker!
THE GLENCAIRN WHISKY GLASS
The Glencairn Glass is, for most, considered the definitive glass for Whisky and I’m not just talking about when it comes to tasting notes but also for pretty much any occasion. One thing you’ll notice straight away is its shape, which smartly funnels aromas towards the nose and this is the key. Tumblers tend to be straighter and thus allow aromas to escape, partially ruining your experience of the whisky itself. These can be picked up for approximately £6, online or any well-stocked whisky shop.
THE GLENCAIRN COPITA
The Glencairn copita is Glencairn’s take on the traditional sherry copita. Again you’ll notice its shape funnels aromas towards the nose. Probably not as commonly used as the glass above but it has been sworn by, by many whisky tasting experts and master blenders. Made from lead free Crystal, the Coptia, in my opinion, has a much more elegant shape and is more often than not my go-to whisky tasting glass. These can be picked up for approximately £8, online or in any well-stocked whisky shop.
DENVER & LIELY WHISKY GLASS
Lastly, there is this whisky glass that incorporates the stylish look of a tumbler and the all-important aroma funneling shape, a dream come true for many connoisseurs, myself included. The D&L Whisky Glass allows true exploration into the depths of your favourite drop. Whether neat, on ice, or as a cocktail – it’s whisky the way you like, which is something you can’t do with the other two.
The D&L Whisky Glass originated from a joint exploration into the diverse and often mysterious world of whisky. Looking to fine tune the experience of savouring a good whisky, Denver & Liely have delved into the deepest, darkest depths of their whisky collections to conceive the D&L Whisky Glass.
The hand-blown shape of the D&L Whisky Glass captures the sensory pleasures of taste and smell associated with a traditional whisky snifter, you could even argue it heightens these aromas. As mentioned it combines this with the versatile form and style of a classic tumbler.
These gents from Australia have really created something rather special; its stylish, functional and has personality. But of course this comes at a price. In the U.K. the D&L whisky glass is priced at approximately £35, which may not sound cheap but you have to consider this. These glasses are hand-blown and only made in small batches. For more information visit the official Denver & Liely website.
So just how important is the glass? In my opinion, very important.
